NORRISTOWN — A North Coventry man who beat a Norristown marijuana rap last year wasn’t free for very long — nabbed during a wiretap investigation for allegedly operating a major pot trafficking organization in Montgomery County.

Ryan Gavlick, 26, of the 800 block of Schuylkill Avenue, faces charges of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, criminal use of a communication facility, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, a firearms offense and conspiracy in connection with his alleged activities in Norristown and Upper Merion between 2009 and 2013. Gavlick, formerly of the 1700 block of North Hills Drive, Norristown, is currently in the county jail, held on $1 million cash bail while awaiting his preliminary hearing.

Gavlick, who also is known as Paul Wall, saw his alleged pot trafficking organization dismantled by the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team during a wiretap investigation dubbed “Operation Walled-In,” an obvious play on Gavlick’s alias.

“Paul Wall is now walled-in to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility where we expect he will stay until hopefully someday he is moving to the state correctional institute,” Ferman said at a news conference while announcing the dismantling of the pot operation.

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During the investigation, authorities seized about 50 pounds of marijuana, more than $23,000 cash, several vehicles and two loaded firearms, according to arrest documents. Authorities said a pound of marijuana has a street value of about $1,600.

“This is obviously a very significant drug trafficking operation,” said Ferman, pointing to a display of the 50, one-pound bags of pot and various drug paraphernalia that was seized during the investigation.

The stench of the marijuana was overpowering in the detective bureau where authorities held the news conference.

The two loaded firearms were seized from the master bedroom of Gavlick’s residence, which he shared with Teaira Thompson, 27, and in whose name the firearms were registered, authorities alleged.

Thompson faces a firearms violation and a charge of unsworn falsification to authorities after she allegedly told an investigative grand jury in March that Gavlick directed her to purchase the firearms and that she was aware he was a convicted felon who was not permitted to possess weapons, according to authorities.

Jason Bishop, 38, of Philadelphia, was identified in court papers as the alleged source of supply for Gavlick’s marijuana and he faces drug-related and corrupt organizations charges. Bishop’s housemate, Woodley J. Baptiste, 63, was arraigned on similar charges for his alleged role in the operation.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement also identified other members of Gavlick’s drug trafficking organization including, Phillip Williams, 26, of the 400 block of Centre Avenue, West Norriton, and Jeremy Rotruck, 27, of the 100 block of Rebel Road, Upper Merion. Williams and Rotruck face multiple drug-related charges, court papers indicate.

Ferman, who was joined at the news conference by police chiefs from numerous departments, said the investigation was “a wonderful example of the pursuit of justice” by law enforcement.

“They are relentless,” Ferman said.

Gavlick was on the radar of law enforcement for several years as an alleged “low-level drug trafficker,” Ferman said, but in some instances he was able thwart law enforcement.

Last November, Norristown drug charges were dismissed against Gavlick after a county judge granted a defense request to suppress the evidence. Gavlick’s lawyer contended police had improperly searched and seized the vehicle in which Gavlick was traveling. The judge determined that at the time of Gavlick’s arrest – July 14, 2011 – the police did not have the authority to take the car without getting a search and seizure warrant.

During an August 2010 investigation in the Norristown area, Gavlick came face to face with an undercover detective at a Norristown restaurant and allegedly said to the detective, “I know what you do and I know all of the cars you drive,” according to court papers. The detective took the comments as a threat, according to the arrest affidavit.

“I found that particularly troubling and brazen. The idea that a drug dealer in our community would feel so comfortable that he could threaten a detective was not something that I would tolerate or any of us would tolerate,” said Ferman, referring to the alleged incident included in the arrest affidavit.

By the end of 2012, Gavlick was considered “the major pot trafficker in Norristown,” Ferman alleged.

“He became a legend in that arena. He was extremely savvy. He had over many years changed phones very often and had been able to avoid detection for far too long,” Ferman said.

But about the same time, in December 2012, authorities received some substantial help with a change in state law that allowed for target-specific wiretap investigations. The new law allowed authorities to target a person engaged in alleged illegal activities, not just one communication device.

“It should be no surprise to anyone that once that law was changed our first specific target was Ryan Gavlick or Paul Wall,” Ferman said.

In February, a state Superior Court judge authorized a target-specific wiretap on Gavlick and conversations were intercepted by law enforcement. Those conversations and surveillance, revealed the scope of Gavlick’s illegal operation and authorities soon learned the source of supply for Gavlick’s marijuana was Bishop, according to court documents.

Detectives monitored the wiretaps and learned that Bishop and Gavlick were planning to meet March 8 for a five pound marijuana transaction, according to court papers.

“We were able to immediately descend and arrest both of them at that time,” Ferman explained.

Gavlick was arrested inside his vehicle, which was parked at the Gulph Mills Apartment complex in Upper Merion. Recovered from inside his vehicle was five pounds of marijuana. Bishop fled the apartment complex on foot and was apprehended a distance away, authorities alleged.

Following the arrests of Gavlick and Bishop, county detectives and state police executed 15 search warrants at locations in Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Philadelphia counties during which authorities seized 44 additional pounds of marijuana, $23,248 cash, four vehicles and two loaded firearms, according to arrest documents.

“We seized industrial size cans that had been used to ship marijuana,” Ferman alleged.

Follow Carl Hessler Jr. on Twitter@MontcoCourtNews

The following is an earlier version of this story.

NORRISTOWN — A North Coventry man who authorities claimed was a “notorious drug dealer” has been arrested along with several others in connection with an alleged marijuana trafficking operation in Montgomery County.

Ryan Gavlick, 26, of the 800 block of Schuylkill Avenue, who also goes by the name Paul Wall, faces charges of corrupt organizations, criminal use of a communications facility and possession with intent to deliver marijuana in connection with the alleged pot operation that was busted during a wiretap investigation dubbed “Operation Walled-In.”

During the wiretap of Gavlick’s phone, investigators intercepted conversations that allegedly revealed the scope of Gavlick’s illegal operation. Law enforcement soon learned the source of supply for Gavlick’s marijuana was Jason Bishop, 38, of Philadelphia, according to court documents.

During the course of the investigation law enforcement also identified other members of Gavlick’s drug trafficking organization including: Phillip Williams, 26, of the 400 block of Centre Avenue, Norristown; Jeremy Rotruck, 27, of the 100 block of Rebel Road, Upper Merion; and Teaira Thompson, 27, of the 800 block of Schuylkill Avenue, North Coventry.

Bishop, Williams, Rotruck and Thompson also were charged with multiple drug-related offenses.

Detectives monitored the wiretaps and learned that Bishop and Gavlick were planning to meet March 8 for a five pound marijuana transaction, according to court papers. An investigative plan to arrest was made and executed in Upper Merion.

Gavlick, formerly of the 1700 block of North Hills Drive in Norristown, was arrested inside his vehicle, which was parked at the Gulph Mills Apartment complex in Upper Merion. Recovered from inside his vehicle was five pounds of marijuana. Bishop fled the apartment complex on foot and was apprehended a distance away, authorities alleged.

Authorities said a pound of marijuana has a street value of about $1,600.